System for holding a cosmetic product in the form of a stick of material, casing provided with such a holding system and assembly method

Abstract

A system for holding a stick in a casing includes an inner cup provided with a plurality of at least partially flexible claws that can assume two positions:—an open position, in which the claws allow the stick to be inserted into the inner cup;—a blocked position in which the claws can penetrate into the stick previously inserted into the inner cup in order to block it; the system further including an outer cup of which the dimensions are designed to allow the claws to shift from the open position to the closed position, and elements for locking the inner cup in the outer cup when the claws are in the blocked position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A retaining system for retaining a cosmetic product in the form of a stick of material, in particular a stick of lipstick, in a casing, wherein the system comprises an inner cup forming a housing for the stick, the inner cup comprising an opening through which the stick can be inserted, an edge of the opening being provided with a plurality of at least partially flexible claws, arranged in a crown extending between a proximal boundary edge, of dimensions greater than or equal to dimensions of the edge of the opening, and a distal boundary edge, the claws being able to take two positions:
 i) an open position, in which dimensions of the distal boundary edge are greater than or equal to the dimensions of the edge of the opening, the claws allowing insertion of the stick into the inner cup, and 
 ii) a locking position, in which the dimensions of the distal boundary edge are less than the dimensions of the edge of the opening, the claws being able to penetrate into the stick previously inserted into the inner cup in order to lock said stick; 
 the system further comprising an outer cup, adapted to be slidably mounted in the casing, and forming a sleeve for the inner cup, sleeve dimensions being adapted to allow the crown of claws to shift from the open position to the closed position by insertion of the inner cup into the outer cup, and elements for locking the inner cup in the outer cup when the claws are in locking position, 
 wherein said locking elements comprise at least one tab projecting from an outer surface of a bottom of the inner cup and at least one hole in a bottom of the outer cup, the tab and hole snap-fitting together to lock the inner cup in the outer cup when the crown of claws is in the locking position. 
 
     
     
       2. The retaining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer cup comprises, on the outer surface of a side wall, at least one lug adapted to be in helical connection with the casing so as to guide the sliding of the outer cup in the casing. 
     
     
       3. The retaining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer cup comprises, on its bottom, a guide rod provided with at least one fin adapted to be in helical connection with the casing. 
     
     
       4. The retaining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the claws each have an inner side facing the housing for the stick, the inner side of the claws being provided with teeth. 
     
     
       5. The retaining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the claws are identical to one another and are four to ten in number, regularly distributed around the opening of the inner cup. 
     
     
       6. A casing of a stick of material for a cosmetic product, provided with a retaining system according to  claim 1 , the outer cup cooperating in translation with the casing so as to cause the stick to extend from the casing or retract into the casing. 
     
     
       7. A method for assembling a stick of material for a cosmetic product in a casing according to  claim 6 , wherein the method comprises the following operations:
 insertion of the outer cup into the casing, 
 insertion of the inner cup into the outer cup, the claws being in the open position, 
 insertion of the stick into the housing of the inner cup, 
 application of force on the stick so as to force the crown of claws of the inner cup into the outer cup, the claws coming into the locking position, and 
 engaging the locking elements between the inner cup and outer cup. 
 
     
     
       8. A retaining system for retaining a cosmetic product in the form of a stick of material, in particular a stick of lipstick, in a casing, wherein the system comprises an inner cup forming a housing for the stick, the inner cup comprising an opening through which the stick can be inserted, an edge of the opening being provided with a plurality of at least partially flexible claws, arranged in a crown extending between a proximal boundary edge, of dimensions greater than or equal to dimensions of the edge of the opening, and a distal boundary edge, the claws being able to take two positions:
 i) an open position, in which dimensions of the distal boundary edge are greater than or equal to the dimensions of the edge of the opening, the claws allowing insertion of the stick into the inner cup, and 
 ii) a locking position, in which the dimensions of the distal boundary edge are less than the dimensions of the edge of the opening, the claws being able to penetrate into the stick previously inserted into the inner cup in order to lock said stick; 
 the system further comprising an outer cup, adapted to be slidably mounted in the casing, and forming a sleeve for the inner cup, sleeve dimensions being adapted to allow the crown of claws to shift from the open position to the closed position by insertion of the inner cup into the outer cup, in that it comprises elements for locking the inner cup in the outer cup when the claws are in locking position, 
 wherein said locking elements comprise at least one bead projecting from an inner surface of a side wall of the outer cup and at least one recess in an outer surface of a side wall of the inner cup, the bead and recess snap-fitting together to lock the inner cup in the outer cup when the claws are in the locking position. 
 
     
     
       9. The retaining system according to  claim 8 , wherein the outer cup comprises, on the outer surface of a side wall, at least one lug adapted to be in helical connection with the casing so as to guide the sliding of the outer cup in the casing. 
     
     
       10. The retaining system according to  claim 8 , wherein the outer cup comprises, on its bottom, a guide rod provided with at least one fin adapted to be in helical connection with the casing. 
     
     
       11. The retaining system according to  claim 8 , wherein the claws each have an inner side facing the housing for the stick, the inner side of the claws being provided with teeth. 
     
     
       12. The retaining system according to  claim 8 , wherein the claws are identical to one another and are four to ten in number, regularly distributed around the opening of the inner cup. 
     
     
       13. A casing of a stick of material for a cosmetic product, provided with a retaining system according to  claim 8 , the outer cup cooperating in translation with the casing so as cause the stick to extend from the casing or retract into the casing. 
     
     
       14. The method for assembling a stick of material for a cosmetic product in a casing according to  claim 13 , wherein the method comprises the following operations:
 insertion of the outer cup into the casing, 
 insertion of the inner cup into the outer cup, the claws being in the open position, 
 insertion of the stick into the housing of the inner cup, 
 application of force on the stick so as to force the crown of claws of the inner cup into the outer cup, the claws coming into the locking position, and 
 engaging the locking elements between the inner cup and outer cup. 
 
     
     
       15. A casing of a stick of material for a cosmetic product, provided with a retaining system for retaining a cosmetic product in the form of a stick of material, in particular a stick of lipstick, in the casing, wherein the system comprises an inner cup forming a housing for the stick, the inner cup comprising an opening through which the stick can be inserted, an edge of the opening being provided with a plurality of at least partially flexible claws, arranged in a crown extending between a proximal boundary edge, of dimensions greater than or equal to dimensions of the edge of the opening, and a distal boundary edge, the claws being able to take two positions:
 i) an open position, in which dimensions of the distal boundary edge are greater than or equal to the dimensions of the edge of the opening, the claws allowing insertion of the stick into the inner cup, and 
 ii) a locking position, in which the dimensions of the distal boundary edge are less than the dimensions of the edge of the opening, the claws being able to penetrate into the stick previously inserted into the inner cup in order to lock said stick; 
 the system of the casing further comprising an outer cup, adapted to be slidably mounted in the casing, and forming a sleeve for the inner cup, sleeve dimensions being adapted to allow the crown of claws to shift from the open position to the closed position by insertion of the inner cup into the outer cup, and elements for locking the inner cup in the outer cup when the claws are in locking position, wherein the outer cup cooperates in translation with the casing so as cause the stick to extend from the casing or retract into the casing. 
 
     
     
       16. The casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the outer cup comprises, on the outer surface of a side wall, at least one lug adapted to be in helical connection with the casing so as to guide the sliding of the outer cup in the casing. 
     
     
       17. The casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the outer cup comprises, on its bottom, a guide rod provided with at least one fin adapted to be in helical connection with the casing. 
     
     
       18. The casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the locking elements comprise at least one tab projecting from an outer surface of a bottom of the inner cup and at least one hole in a bottom of the outer cup, the tab and hole snap-fitting together to lock the inner cup in the outer cup when the crown of claws is in the locking position. 
     
     
       19. The casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the locking elements comprise at least one bead projecting from an inner surface of a side wall of the outer cup and at least one recess in an outer surface of a side wall of the inner cup, the bead and recess snap-fitting together to lock the inner cup in the outer cup when the claws are in the locking position. 
     
     
       20. The casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the claws each have an inner side facing the housing for the stick, the inner side of the claws being provided with teeth. 
     
     
       21. The casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the claws are identical to one another and are four to ten in number, regularly distributed around the opening of the inner cup. 
     
     
       22. A method for assembling a stick of material for a cosmetic product in a casing according to  claim 15 , wherein the method comprises the following operations:
 insertion of the outer cup into the casing, 
 insertion of the inner cup into the outer cup, the claws being in the open position, 
 insertion of the stick into the housing of the inner cup, 
 application of force on the stick so as to force the crown of claws of the inner cup into the outer cup, the claws coming into the locking position, and 
 engaging the locking elements between the inner cup and outer cup.